Multipurpose esophageal instrument

ABSTRACT

An instrument for integrated monitoring of a patient&#39;&#39;s physical condition includes a suction tube for insertion in his esophagus, the tube being provided with an inlet in one end for stomach fluids and an outlet in its opposite end for connection to a suction machine. A portion of the tube is encircled by an acoustic tube that is spaced from it, although the inner end of the acoustic tube is sealed to the suction tube in a location adjacent to, but spaced from, the inlet end of the suction tube. The outer end of the acoustic tube has an opening through which the suction tube emerges, and an outlet for connection to a sound-monitoring device. The inner end portion of the acoustic tube has lateral openings therein covered by diaphragm means. A plurality of spaced electrode bands encircle the acoustic tube adjacent the sleeve and are connected to wires extending outwardly along the acoustic tube and away from its outer end for connection to a heart-monitoring machine.

United States Patent Calmog [54] MULTIPURPOSE ESOPHAGEAL INSTRUMENT [76]Inventor: Teodoro A. Calinog, 320 E. North Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15212[22] Filed: June 21,1971

21 Appl. No.: 155,044

[52] US. Cl. ..128/2.06 E, l28/2.05 S, 128/351,

l28/DIG. 4 [5 1] Int. Cl. ..A61b 5/04 [58] Field of Search ..l28/2.05 R,2.05 S,

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Schaudinschky et al. Medical & Biological EngineeringVol. 7, pp. 341-343 1969 451 May 22, 1973 Primary Examiner-William E.Kamm Attorney-Brown, Murray, Flick & Peckham [57] ABSTRACT An instrumentfor integrated monitoring of a patients physical condition includes asuction tube for insertion in his esophagus, the tube being providedwith an inlet in one end for stomach fluids and an outlet in itsopposite end for connection to a suction machine. A portion of the tubeis encircled by an acoustic tube that is spaced from it, although theinner end of the acoustic tube is sealed to the suction tube in alocation adjacent to, but spaced from, the inlet end of the suctiontube. The outer end of the acoustic tube has an opening through whichthe suction tube emerges, and an outlet for connection to asound-monitoring device. The inner end portion of the acoustic tube haslateral openings therein covered by diaphragm means. A plurality ofspaced electrode bands encircle the acoustic tube adjacent the sleeveand are connected to wires extending outwardly along the acoustic tubeand away from its outer end for connection to a heart-monitoringmachine.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATEN] E :arr r2 2 m5 M/I/EA/TOR. TEODORO.4. CAL lA/OG em w A TTORNEW.

MULTIPURPOSE ESOPHAGEAL INSTRUMENT ln monitoring a patients physicalcondition it sometimes is desirable to withdraw fluids, such as liquidand air, from the stomach. This is done by a suction tube. It may alsobe desirable to record his heart beats and to ascertain the condition ofhis heart by means of an electrocardiogram or the like. Recording theheart beats and the condition of the heart are generally done by meansengaging external surfaces of the patients body.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a relatively simpleinstrument that can be inserted in a patients esophagus and that permitsthe conditions mentioned above to be monitored at simultaneously or insuccession.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the instrument;and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawings, a flexible suction tube 1 of any desiredlength, but long enough to be passed down through the esophagus and intothe stomach with its outer end protruding from the patients mouth, has acoupling 2 at its outer end for connecting it to a known suctionmachine. The inner end portion of the tube that will be in the patientsstomach is provided with one or more inlets 3, through which liquids andair can be withdrawn by the suction machine.

Encircling the suction tube is a flexible acoustic tube 5 that likewisemust extend out of the patients mouth. However, the acoustic tube isconsiderably shorter than the suction tube and its inner end terminatesnear the suction tube inlets 3, but far enough away from them to preventit from extending into the stomach. The major portion of the acoustictube is spaced from the suction tube to leave a sound passage betweenthem, but the inner end of the acoustic tube is sealed against thesuction tube in any suitable manner. The outer end of the acoustic tubeis designed to be connected to a sound-monitoring device of knownconstruction, so the tube is provided with an outlet coupling. Althoughthe outlet could be in the side of the outer portion of the tube, inwhich case the suction tube would extend out of the end, the outletpreferably is formed by the outer end of the tube, in which the coupling6 is mounted. The outer end portion of the acoustic tube is providedwith a lateral opening, through which the suction tube emerges. The wallof the opening snugly engages the suction tube.

To admist heart sounds into the acoustic tube, its inner end portion isprovided with a plurality of lateral openings 8 that are covered bydiaphragm means to accentuate the sound and also to prevent body fluidsfrom entering the opening. Preferably, the diaphragm means is a flexiblesleeve 9 encircling the acoustic tube. The opposite ends of the sleeveare sealed to the tube, with the group of openings 8 between them.

In order to connect this instrument with a heart monitoring machine,such as an electrocardiogram, the inner end portion of the acoustic tubeis provided with electrodes that can be wired to the machine. There areat least two electrodes, and preferably three. These electrodes mostsuitably are in the form of metal bands encircling the acoustic tube.Two of these bands 11 and 12 are located on the tube near the oppositeends of the diaphragm sleeve. The third one 13 is spaced a shortdistance outwardly from the first two. Joined to each of these bands isa wire 14 that extends out along the acoustic tube and away from itsside wall at the outer end portion of the tube. Where the wires leavethe tube, they are tightly engaged by it. The wires may extend alongbetween the two tubes or they may be molded into the acoustic tube. Theexposed outer ends of the wires are provided with terminals 15 forconnection to the heart-monitoring machine.

In using this instrument it is inserted in the esophagus of a patientuntil the inlets of the suction tube are within the stomach. Then thesuction tube is connected to a suction machine, the acoustic tube isconnected to a sound-monitoring device and the wires are connected to aheart-monitoring machine. This single instrument therefore serves atleast three different functions, all of which can be carried onsimultaneously if desired. The instrument itself is relatively simple inconstruction and is easy to use by a person skilled in the use ofesophageal tubes.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. A multipurpose esophageal instrument for integrated monitoring of apatients physical condition, comprising a suction tube for insertion ina patients esophagus and provided with an inlet in one end for stomachfluids and an outlet in its opposite end for connection to a suctionmachine, a separate acoustic tube encircling a portion of the suctiontube with space between them, the acoustic tube having an inner endsealed to the suction tube in a location adjacent to but spaced from theinlet end thereof, the outer end of the acoustic tube being providedwith an opening through which the suction tube emerges, the outer end ofthe acoustic tube also having an outlet for connection to asound-monitoring device, the inner end portion of the acoustic tubehaving lateral openings therein, a diaphragm sleeve encircling saidinner portion of the acoustic tube, the opposite ends of the sleevebeing sealed to the acoustic tube with said lateral openings between thesleeve ends, a plurality of spaced electrode bands encircling theacoustic tube adjacent said diaphragm sleeve, and a wire connected toeach band and extending outwardly along the acoustic tube and away fromits outer end portion for connection to a heartmonitoring machine.

2. A multipurpose esophageal instrument according to claim 1, in whichsaid opening in the acoustic tube for emergence of the suction tube isin the side wall of the acoustic tube, the suction tube snugly engagesthe wall of said opening, and a coupling is connected to the outer endof the acoustic tube for connection to a sound-monitoring device.

3. A multipurpose esophageal instrument according to claim 2, in whichthere are three of said electrode bands and three of said wires, oneband being located close to each end of said diaphragm sleeve, and thethird band being spaced outwardly along the acoustic tube from the othertwo bands.

1. A multipurpose esophageal instrument for integrated monitoring of apatient''s physical condition, comprising a suction tube for insertionin a patient''s esophagus and provided with an inlet in one end forstomach fluids and an outlet in its opposite end for connection to asuction machine, a separate acoustic tube encircling a portion of thesuction tube with space between them, the acoustic tube having an innerend sealed to the suction tube in a location adjacent to but spaced fromthe inlet end thereof, the outer end of the acoustic tube being providedwith an opening through which the suction tube emerges, the outer end ofthe acoustic tube also having an outlet for connection to asound-monitoring device, the inner end portion of the acoustic tubehaving lateral openings therein, a diaphragm sleeve encircling saidinner portion of the acoustic tube, the opposite ends of the sleevebeing sealed to the acoustic tube with said lateral openings between thesleeve ends, a plurality of spaced electrode bands encircling theacoustic tube adjacent said diaphragm sleeve, and a wire connected toeach band and extending outwardly along the acoustic tube and away fromits outer end portion for connection to a heart-monitoring machine.
 2. Amultipurpose esophageal instrument according to claim 1, in which saidopening in the acoustic tube for emergence of the suction tube is in theside wall of the acoustic tube, the suction tube snugly engages the wallof said opening, and a coupling is connected to the outer end of theacoustic tube for connection to a sound-monitoring device.
 3. Amultipurpose esophageal instrument according to clAim 2, in which thereare three of said electrode bands and three of said wires, one bandbeing located close to each end of said diaphragm sleeve, and the thirdband being spaced outwardly along the acoustic tube from the other twobands.